Most of us tune out when we hear companies telling us how great they are in commercials. We have become pretty cynical about advertising. Traditional advertising like radio and TV have gotten slammed as ineffective tools for generating leads. There are whole technologies that have been built to help us zap advertising so that we can get to the content we are really interested in. Well, what if our advertising could become the content viewers are interested in?
While in Orlando last week I heard a radio ad that got me thinking about a new way to make advertising relevant again. I heard three different ads from the same law firm during the morning drive time that were very effective. Instead of talking about their legal services and experience like a typical ad would do, they provided a variety of legal tips. The ad portrayed the company as an advocate to consumers.
The first ad told us how to avoid the tricks insurance companies use to cheat you out of insurance claims. The next ad talked about what to ask an auto body shop when getting an estimate. The third explained that insurance companies passed a law disallowing the courts from telling juries whether clients involved in personal injury cases have insurance or not to limit the amount of recommended payouts.
After listening to those three ads I had a great impression of the law firm. They sounded experienced, trustworthy and informed – exactly what I would want in a law firm. They sold me on their services much more effectively than simply telling me about their experience.
I couldn’t help but think how this principle could applied to real estate advertising.
What if an agent shared little tidbits of good news about the glimpses of turnaround we are experiencing at the moment? What if the agent supplied information about the government monies available for first time home buyers? Or what about a series of articles explaining ways to avoid a troublesome closing?
Now theres a simple, easy to understand way to share good news about the marketplace and engage potential new customers with a product called Clarus MarketMetrics. The agent simply enters in the local market they would like to evaluate. The system can be localized to whatever level the local MLS localizes. For example, if your MLS allows an agent to search by neighborhood, for example, the user do a local market analysis by neighborhood. It allows you to show Days on Market trends and pricing trends for the price range and location you choose.
The software automatically builds charts that an agent can share via a branded email to their clients. They can also use the information to share tidbits via “EDUtising”, blog, Twitter or Facebook. It can really help you position yourself as the local expert. When you can demonstrate your experience and knowledge of the market you can attract customers. You dont have to use “me,me,me” advertising any more. If you want to try it out theres a coupon code on their website for a FREE Trial. Just type in clarusre49 and check it out for yourself.
Content is king these days. We need to stop thinking of ourselves as marketers and think more about how we become journalists. By thinking about the type of expertise and information you can share with your clients, you can become more relevant and interesting to potential new clients.
